Module UXS-2150:21st C. Writing & Publishing

Module Facts

Run by School of Music and Media

20 Credits or 10 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser:
Dr Rebecca Skains

Overall aims and purpose

This module examines writing for publishing in the context of 21st century technologies, including creating digital narratives (visual story, hypertext, website, etc.), and e-publishing. In this module students will write a piece of original fiction in a chosen medium (prose or digital fiction) and submit it for publication/self-publish the work. The module may involve more advanced hypermedia techniques, writing in multiple modes of communication, and questions about the economic possibilities for writers in the digital age. The focus is on digital writing and the new publishing pathways.

Course content

Students will have the option to either study a published work for its path to market, or to create their own digital or prose narratives, and explore publishing avenues. They will examine digital narratives in critical contexts, as well as the studying the design choices involved in publishing work for Digital Media (visual story, hypertext, website, interactive fiction, etc.) or e-publishing. They will explore the use of advanced hypermedia techniques such as using Flash, Inform7, Calibre, XML, html, etc. They may create stories in multiple modes of communication (text, visual, ludic, audio, etc.). They will also explore topics on the economic possibilities for writers in the digital age. The focus is on digital writing and the new publishing pathways.

Assessment Criteria

good

Very Good: B-range
• A sound understanding of design affordances specific to writing for digital media, as shown through the portfolio or case study.
• Evidence of a developed awareness of scholarly discourse on digital narratives and e-publishing.
• A good degree of theoretical and self-critical awareness.
• Creative work (if undertaken) shows significant effort toward integrating form and narrative. Demonstrates an understanding of the effects of media upon story, and uses the software well, though it may lack originality, cohesion, or polish.

threshold

D-range
• Some understanding of design affordances specific to writing for digital media, as shown through the portfolio or case study.
• Evidence of some awareness of scholarly discourse on digital narratives and e-publishing.
• Some theoretical and self-critical awareness.
• Creative work (if undertaken) shows minimal effort toward integrating form and narrative. Demonstrates little understanding of the effects of media upon story, and attempts to use the software, but lacks confident application in the creative work.

C- to C+

Good: C-range
• A basic understanding of design affordances specific to writing for digital media, as shown through the portfolio or case study.
• Evidence of sufficient awareness of scholarly discourse on digital narratives and e-publishing.
• Sufficient theoretical and self-critical awareness.
• Creative work (if undertaken) shows sufficient effort toward integrating form and narrative. Demonstrates some understanding of the effects of media upon story, and uses the software sufficiently, but lacks originality, cohesion, or polish.

excellent

A-range
• A shrewd understanding of design affordances specific to writing for digital media, as shown through the portfolio or case study.
• Evidence of considerable awareness of scholarly discourse on digital narratives and e-publishing.
• A large degree of theoretical and self-critical awareness.
• Creative work (if undertaken) shows an excellent integration of form and narrative. Demonstrates an understanding of the effects of media upon story, and uses the software and communication modes in an original, cohesive, polished manner.

Learning outcomes

Gain an awareness of the scholarly discourse surrounding the fields of creative writing and publishing in the 21st century.

Gain an awareness of cultural and creative responses to technology's effects upon digital writing and e-publishing

Gain an understanding of the various genres, methods, and opportunities for publishing in the 21st century

Gain a proficiency in analysing published narratives and/or designing narratives for publication (both through traditional pathways and newly emerging pathways) for their suitability for audience, their marketing strategy, and their engagement in their chosen medium

Assessment Methods

Type

Name

Description

Weight

ESSAY

Critical Essay

A series of tasks culminating in a final critical essay presenting an argument based in the practice of writing and publishing your creative work, incorporating research based on critical readings.

45

LOGBOOK OR PORTFOLIO

Creative Portfolio

A series of tasks culminating in a final piece of creative writing (2000 words) that has been published/submitted for publication on this module

45

GROUP PRESENTATION

Group Discussion & Activities

Each group will lead a 25-minute study group session in a chosen topic that concurs with topics covered on the module.

10

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours

Study group

Study group time with set discussions and activities.

11

Seminar

Small group discussions, workshops, and exercises.

11

Private study

167

Lecture

11

Transferable skills

Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media

Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance

Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives

Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information

Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others

Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.

Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.

Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting

Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Subject specific skills

An understanding of creative and critical processes, and of the wide range of skills inherent in creative writing. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.1).

Knowledge of a wide range of canonical English texts, providing a confident understanding of literary traditions as well as the confidence to experiment and challenge conventions when writing creatively. (English Benchmark Statement 3.1).

An awareness of writing and publishing contexts, opportunities and audiences in the wider world (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.1).